New Work - Late May and early June 2013.

Drypoints in 2013: Working with the little, portable Halfwood Press

Samantha in Giselle V3
"Samantha in Giselle V3" Drypoint engraving on aluminum, (February, 2013).

In 2013 I obtained a small, portable "Halfwood Press" from Bill Ritchie and Seattle Machine Works (http://www.ritchie-art.com). It is a delightful, portable tool that I can carry in my car from place to place. It only permits me to work at smaller sizes - around 8 by 6 inches or less, so I have begun doing a series of small plates that would fit on its small platen (press) bed. The print of Samantha in Giselle is not actually one of this new smaller series - it is my more traditional 8 by 10 inch aluminum engraving portrait size (printed on my wonderful Takach tabletop press), but I wanted to include it in this page as it is one of the final ones from the "In Giselle" series. I certainly enjoy drawing all of the dancers in their Romantic-era costumes, and I always enjoy drawing Samantha, so I did several of her in her headpieces from this great Romantic Ballet.

Lesley as Kitri
"Lesley as Kitri" (Drypoint engraving on aluminum, June 2013)

June Sketch 3
"June Sketch 3" (Drypoint engraving on aluminum, June 2013)

The two portraits above were made of El Paso Conservatory of Dance performers - the first is of Lesley Lopez, who is the ballerina for the El Paso Youth Ballet, and coach for the younger girls, and the second is of one of the ten-year old dancers in a pensive moment. Lesley performed in the Don Quixote Pas de Deux in mid-June 2013, so I made the engraved portrait of her as a little gift for her - for someone I believe is a truly positive influence on the other dancers (and great fun to watch!).

Drapery
""Drapery"" Drypoint engraving on aluminum, (2013)

June sketch 1
""June Sketch 1"" Drypoint engraving on aluminum, (2013)

Drapery (2013) and June sketch 1 (2013) are two of the series of small nudes I am developing for printing on the Halfwood press. They are only six inches in height, and perfect for the Halfwood "Galleon".

Halfwood with portrait
The Halfwood Galleon

Oh, and of course, here is a pic of the Halfwood Galleon with a plate and a proof of a portrait on it's platen bed. The aluminum plate engraved portrait is my standard 8 by 10 inch size - filling up the pressbed with no real room for a paper border. But the Halfwood is a wonderful tool for smaller prints (image made in April 2013).



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This page by B. H. Giza - Updated June 19, 2013